Design tool with graphical interconnect matrix

ABSTRACT

Techniques and mechanisms provide numerous representations and/or control of component interconnections in a digital design. For example, aspects of the invention provide a connection panel where connections can be presented in different modes. The different modes can run concurrently with each other or separately from each other. The different modes can also be manually or automatically selected to switch from one mode to another mode. For instance, the modes can be manually selected using an on-screen button or automatically selected by examining the location of the mouse pointer on the connection panel. Based on the different modes, component interconnections can be easily and efficiently handled and presented. Further, components can be automatically organized to minimize the number of crossing interconnects between them and/or maximize the amount of interconnection information presented.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to U.S. application Ser. No. 10/956,458, filed Sep. 30, 2004 and to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/606,966, filed Sep. 3, 2004, whereby such enumerated prior applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to design tools for digital designs. More specifically, the invention relates to apparatus and methods that provide component interconnection information of digital designs for programmable chip systems.

2. Description of Related Art

A digital design for a programmable chip system typically includes a master component coupled to multiple slave components. A master component such as a processor typically sends requests to slave components such as timers and parallel input/output (PIO) interfaces for data. Master components are coupled to slave components via corresponding ports. In creating the digital design, a designer can specify which components are connected. In one example, a timer may only be accessible to one of two processors in a system.

Conventional mechanisms for providing interconnection information are limited. More specifically, when the quantity of data is large and the data is interrelated (e.g., masters, slaves, master-slave connections, etc.), the information displayed can be unwieldy to a user, especially if the user is interested in only a subset of the data. Consequently, it is beneficial to present improved mechanisms for providing interconnection information for programmable chip systems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The techniques and mechanisms of the present invention provide selective representation/control of digital design data (e.g., interconnection information). The selective representation/control of digital design data can be based on different selectable modes (e.g., view mode, edit mode, view-collapsed mode).

In one aspect, the present invention pertains to a method for providing a digital design. Multiple components for the digital design are received. Multiple connections between the multiple components are formed. The multiple connections include made connections and possible connections. The multiple connections are displayed in a selectable mode within a connection panel. The selectable mode can change between different modes to adjust the amount of interconnection information being displayed. As such, the creation and understanding of a digital design is made easier and clearer to a user.

In another aspect, the present invention pertains to computer program product having computer code for performing the above method operations.

In yet another aspect, the present invention pertains to a design tool for providing a digital design. The design tool includes an interface operable to receive multiple components for the digital design. The design tool also includes a processor coupled to the interface. The processor is operable to form multiple connections between the multiple components. The multiple connections include made connections and possible connections. The design tool also includes means for displaying the multiple connections within a connection panel such that the amount of interconnection information being displayed is adjustable.

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be presented in more detail in the following specification of the invention and the accompanying figures, which illustrate by way of example the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate specific embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 1 illustrates one example of a digital design according to various embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates another example of a digital design according to various embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a global scalable representation of data relating to interconnections in a digital design according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4A illustrates a selective scalable representation of data relating to interconnections in a digital design according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4B illustrates a selective scalable representation of data relating to interconnections in a digital design according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4C illustrates a selective scalable representation of data relating to interconnections in a digital design according to yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4D illustrates a representation of data where interconnections relating to a digital design are provided in a selectable mode according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4E illustrates intersections relating to a view mode.

FIG. 4F illustrates intersections relating to an edit mode.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a typical process flow of providing a digital design according to various embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic representation showing a digital system on a programmable chip

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic representation showing implementation of a programmable chip.

FIG. 8 illustrates a computer system suitable for implementing various embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to some specific embodiments of the invention including the best modes contemplated by the inventors for carrying out the invention. Examples of these specific embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the invention is described in conjunction with these specific embodiments, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to the described embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

For instance, the techniques of the present invention will be described in the context of particular design automation tools. However, it should be noted that the techniques of the present invention can be applied to a variety of tools and associated code provided with the tools. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. The present invention may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well known process operations have not been described in detail in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention.

According to various embodiments, the present invention provides numerous representations and/or control of component interconnections in a digital design. For example, aspects of the invention provide a connection panel where connections can be presented in different modes. The different modes can run concurrently with each other or separately from each other. The different modes can also be manually or automatically selected to switch from one mode to another mode. For instance, the modes can be manually selected using an on-screen button or automatically selected by examining the location of the mouse pointer on the connection panel. Based on the different modes, component interconnections can be easily and efficiently handled and presented. Further, components can be automatically organized to minimize the number of crossing interconnects between them and/or maximize the amount of interconnection information presented. As such, the creation and understanding of a design is made easier and clearer to the user in a straightforward user interface.

While design tools are widely used in the industry, they have not yet been implemented where interconnections are provided in such a manner that users are not overwhelmed with unnecessary details of the digital designs. Generally, design tools are used to create the digital designs. Design tools may incorporate hierarchical text-based or graphical entry methods that allow designers to enter various system designs.

Text-based methods typically use hardware-description languages VHDL and Verilog to enter system designs. Using these languages, a designer connects various components (e.g., IP blocks) by associating the port names of components with named signals. For example, a port “out” of one IP block is associated with a signal “a”, and then the signal “a” is associated with the port “in” of another IP block. Through this pair of associations, the “out” and “in” ports of these two IP blocks are connected through the signal “a”. Although text-based methods specify details very well, they fail to show the overall system design. It is also cumbersome to trace signals in a text file; simply looking at the text file is not enough since a text editor search tool is generally required.

A graphical entry method includes the use of schematic diagrams. Schematic diagrams use images (as simple as rectangles) to represent the various IP blocks. Lines on the diagram indicate connections between ports on these rectangles. It is easy to connect ports (using a mouse on a computer, for instance) by drawing lines between rectangles on the diagram. It is also easy to see the overall system design by following the connection lines provided that the designer has located the IP blocks and their connected nest of wiring on the diagram in a straightforward manner. However, constructing a straightforward diagram from a correct but difficult to follow diagram is a time-consuming and error prone task. The manual edits required to move an IP block on the schematic diagram may be performed incorrectly even with the assistance of rubberbanding. Since design tools can accurately read schematic diagrams whether they are easy for designers to read or not, many designers often skip performing the manual edits. The result is a difficult to read diagram that fails to show the overall system design.

Another graphical entry method includes the use of a crossbar switch. A crossbar switch allows connection from any IP block output port to any IP block input port. An example of a design tool that uses a crossbar switch is shown in FIG. 3 as described below. This graphical presentation is just as easy to understand as a schematic diagram where lines indicate connections and can be followed with ease. A crossbar switch representation benefits from reordering IP blocks to form a more straightforward presentation of a design while minimizing the risks of incorrectly changing the connectivity of the design. However, a disadvantage of a crossbar representation is that the horizontal and vertical lines may tend to “clutter” the connection panel (i.e., patch panel), making it difficult to see the overall system design. Another disadvantage is that a design with many masters requires many columns, using valuable space on the computer screen, both in the connection panel and above it, where the columns are labeled.

Programmable chip systems present a particularly difficult challenge for visual data representation. Such systems generally include numerous components with multiple master and/or slave connections. In simple systems that include few components and connections, data about a design can be provided in simple tables that can be reviewed in their entirety by a designer without significant loss of efficiency. However, as programmable chip systems become increasingly complex with more components, the presentation of master-slave connections is often complex as well and can fill an entire display screen or more. The volume of data associated with such complex designs can be overwhelming to a user that is manually reviewing the data, especially when the data is presented globally without any selectivity.

According to various embodiments, techniques of the present invention allow selective representation/control of digital design data. For instance, the selective representation/control of interconnection information can be based on different modes (e.g., view mode, edit mode, view-collapsed mode).

FIG. 1 illustrates a digital design 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Digital design 100 generally includes multiple components 102, such as components 1 (i.e., 102 a), 2 (i.e., 102 b), 3 (i.e., 102 c), and so forth to component n (i.e., 102 n). Each component is representative of a portion of digital design 100. It should be noted that any number of components may be included in digital design 100. According to a specific embodiment, at least one component is interrelated with another component. For example, one component is a primary component while another component is a corresponding secondary component.

Any component or device that is operable to initiate read and/or write operations by providing control information is referred to herein as a primary component. Primary components are sometimes referred to herein as master components. Control information can include a particular address associated with a secondary component. Any component or device that responds to read or write operations with information sent back to the primary component regarding the read or write operation is referred to herein as a secondary component. Secondary components are sometimes referred to herein as slave components. Some examples of primary components include processors, microcontrollers, and Ethernet devices. Some examples of secondary components include Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitters (UARTs), Parallel Input Output (PIO), program memory, and data memory. It should be noted that some components such as an Ethernet component can be both a primary component and a secondary component, because an Ethernet component has the capability of reading and writing to the secondary program memory while also responding to instructions from a primary system CPU.

FIG. 2 illustrates another digital design 200 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As shown, digital design 200 includes multiple components 202, such as components 1 (i.e., 202 a), 2 (i.e., 202 b), 3 (i.e., 202 c), and so forth through component n (i.e., 202 n). Also shown are multiple ports 204 and 206, which may be used to interconnect the multiple components. For instance, component 1 has two master ports 204 a and 204 b along with one slave port 206 a. Similarly, component 2 has only a master port 204 c while component 3 has only a slave port 206 b. Each component may have any number of corresponding ports that can be used to provide interconnections between different portions of themselves (e.g., CPU), with other components (e.g., DMA), or both. Typically, the ports are used to interconnect related components, such as primary and secondary components.

In order to effectively provide information about interconnections in a design, simple and practical visual representations are provided according to various embodiments. FIG. 3 illustrates one example of a global scalable representation of a digital design 300 according to various embodiments of the present invention. The global scalable representation provides an expandable as well as a retractable display of connections between multiple components 302 in digital design 300. In this specific embodiment, the multiple components 302 are provided with relationship information (e.g., possible connection, actual connection, no connection) that corresponds to the multiple ports 304/306.

As shown, the multiple components 302, such as components 1 through n, is displayed with corresponding ports. For example, component 1 (i.e., 302 a) is shown having master port 304 a, master port 304 b, and slave port 306 a. Component 2 (i.e., 302 b) is shown having only master port 304 c. Component 3 (i.e., 302 c) is shown having only slave port 306 b. The remaining components (though component n) are similarly shown with their corresponding ports.

A patch panel 308 is also shown. In this embodiment, patch panel 308 is also referred to as a crossbar switch. Patch panel 308 provides information about the relationships between the multiple components 302 via respective master ports 304 (e.g., 304 a, 304 b, 304 c) and/or slave ports 306 (e.g., 306 a, 306 b, 306 n). Connectable nodes 310 a/310 b and non-connectable nodes 310 c are used to represent relationship information (e.g., whether a master-slave connection is available; how many connections correspond to a particular component; the complexity of the digital design; etc.). An open connectable node 310 a denotes a possible connection (e.g., electrical connection) between a pair of components/ports, whereas a closed connectable node 310 b denotes a made connection (e.g. electrical connection) between a pair of components/ports. Open connectable node 310 a may be toggled to closed connectable node 310 b and vice versa through a toggling feature. According to one embodiment, the toggling feature includes a user input device such as a mouse, keyboard, or the like, that can be used to change the status of a node. Non-connectable nodes 310 c denote that no connections are available between the pair of components/ports indicated.

To further elaborate, patch panel 308 provides information about interconnectivity between the multiple components 302. The connectivity information may be organized based on the type of connections that are to be displayed. For example, the connectivity information may be organized such that master connections, slave connections, or both, are displayed. As shown in FIG. 3, patch panel 308 provides connectivity information based on master connections. That is, patch panel 308 is configured to organize the connectivity of each component based on any connections to a master component via corresponding slave ports. According to one embodiment, slave ports (e.g., 306 a, 306 b, 306 n) are shown as rows and the connected master ports (e.g., 304 a, 304 b, 304 c, 304 n) are shown as columns. For instance, patch panel 308 illustrates a made connection between slave port 306 a of component 1 (i.e., 302 a) and master port 304 b of component 1 (i.e., 302 a). On the other hand, patch panel 308 illustrates no available connection between slave port 306 b of component 3 (i.e., 302 c) and master port 304 b of component 1 (i.e., 302 a). Yet, patch panel 308 illustrates a made connection between slave port 306 b of component 3 (i.e., 302 c) and master port 304 c of component 2 (i.e., 302 b).

Patch panel 308 may be provided in any number of different arrangements. For example, the two-dimensional patch panel can be replaced with a three-dimensional patch panel or any other multi-dimensional patch panel. Typically, patch panel 308 can represent a connection fabric between the multiple components/ports in digital design 300. Although each node generally denotes the relationship between a pair of components/ports, each node may be provided to denote the relationship between multitudes of components/ports. Therefore, patch panel 308 can be configured to convey the relationship information as necessary according to a specific application.

As mentioned earlier, a global scalable representation provides an expandable as well as a retractable display of all of the multiple components 302 in digital design 300. That is, the multiple components 302 are shown expanded with corresponding ports and connections in an initial display. In cases where digital design 300 includes a large number of components 302 and relatively complex interrelated data (e.g., master-slave connections), the global scalable representation provides the possibility of adjusting the amount of digital design data provided in a display. Typically, a scalable indicator 312 (e.g., “+” or “−” indicator) may be used to signal the exposing/hiding of various data portions (e.g., ports 304/306) of a component. As such, information relating to portions of digital design 300 can be provided in amounts that can be reasonably and efficiently viewed and interpreted.

FIG. 4A illustrates a selective scalable representation of data relating to interconnections in a digital design according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In the selective scalable representation shown, only a subset of multiple components 402 in digital design 400 is displayed along with corresponding ports and connections. For example, only component 1 (i.e., 402 a) has its respective ports (i.e., master ports 404 a/b and slave port 406 a) displayed together with any respective connections to another component/port via a patch panel 408.

A selective scalable representation may be configured to display any subset of the multiple components/ports featured in digital design 400. In one embodiment, the subset allows viewing on a master-by-master basis. For example, information about master component 1 (i.e., 402 a) along with its various data portions can be selectively represented by having component 1 scaled up (e.g., exposed) while other components are scaled down (e.g., hidden). As shown, master ports corresponding to only component 1 are displayed as columns and any connected slave component (e.g., 402 c) or combination of master and slave component (e.g., 402 a) is displayed along a row. Likewise, information about master component 2 (i.e., 402 b) along with its various data portions can be selectively displayed by having component 2 scaled up (e.g. exposed) while other components are scaled down (e.g., hidden). In another embodiment, the subset allows viewing on a slave-by-slave basis, which is similar to a master-by master basis but focuses on displaying information about slaves. In general, the subset may be displayed initially or reduced from a global scalable representation, as shown in FIG. 3. Furthermore, the subset may even be predetermined in some embodiments.

In the present embodiment, patch panel 408 and patch panel 308 can share many of the same features. For instance, patch panel 408 provides information about relationships between the multiple components 402 via respective master ports 404 (e.g., 404 a, 404 b, through 404 n (not shown)) and/or slave port 406 (e.g., 406 a through 406 n (not shown)). Connectable nodes 410 a/410 b and non-connectable nodes 410 c are used to represent any relationship information (e.g., whether a master-slave connection is available; how many connections correspond to a particular component; how complex is the digital design; etc.) between components/ports. An open connectable node 410 a denotes a possible connection between a pair of components/ports, whereas a closed connectable node 410 b denotes a made connection between a pair of components/ports. Open connectable node 410 a may be toggled to closed connectable node 410 b and vice versa through a toggling feature. According to one embodiment, the toggling feature includes a user input device such as a mouse, keyboard, or the like, that can be used to change the status of a node. Non-connectable nodes 410 c denote that no connections are available between the pair of components/ports.

As mentioned earlier, patch panel may be provided in any number of different arrangements. However, in this embodiment, patch panel 408 includes a rectangular arrangement of elements in rows and columns. For example, patch panel 408 includes a matrix of interconnects 414. In other words, interconnects 414 are shown extending vertically and horizontally across patch panel 408 in defining the relationships between the components. Specifically, master ports 404 are shown connected to vertical interconnects 414 in columns whereas slave ports 406 are shown connected to horizontal interconnects 414 in rows. As such, patch panel 408 facilitates an efficient digital design presentation that can easily be viewed and interpreted.

In one embodiment, the scalability of the representation is dependent upon and/or proportionate to the scaled component. That is, whenever a component is scaled to expose or hide various data portions (e.g., ports 404/406) of the component, patch panel 408 and/or the overall representation will be correspondingly modified to reflect the scaling. For example, if component 2 (i.e., 302 b) of FIG. 3 is scaled by selecting the “−” indicator 312, master port 304 c (shown horizontally in a row and vertically in a column) along with portions of its connectivity to other components/ports (e.g., slaves) would be selectively removed from viewing in patch panel 308 and/or the overall representation. As such, a condensed and simplified representation such as in FIG. 4A can result. Alternatively, exposing various data portions of a component can be used to scale patch panel 408 to include more information. Therefore, digital design data of interest can be selectively provided to the user. Accordingly, the digital design data can be presented in a more convenient manner for viewing and interpreting by the user.

Connectivity information may still be provided regardless of whether the representation has been scaled down (e.g., hiding data portions of components). For instance, components 3 (i.e., 402 c), 4 (i.e., 402 d), 5 (i.e., 402 e), and n (i.e., 402 n) are shown with connectivity information via patch panel 408 despite being scaled down (e.g., hidden, but available with “+” indicator 412). This allows a designer to easily identify whether a component has any connectivity information associated with it. As mentioned earlier, the connectivity information may be organized based on the type of connections to be displayed. Therefore, if master connections are used to organize the connectivity information as in FIG. 4A, component 2 (i.e., 402 b) can be interpreted to have only master ports associated with it since no connectivity information is shown in patch panel 408. As such, component 2 is a master component. Other similar interpretations can be made based on the available connectivity information. Typically, the connectivity information is predetermined based on the various components 402 of digital design 400. However, the connectivity information can be changed by the designer (e.g., via connectable nodes 410 a and 410 b).

FIG. 4B illustrates a selective scalable representation of data relating to interconnections in a digital design according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In the selective scalable representation shown, a subset of multiple components 402 in digital design 400 is again illustrated as shown in FIG. 4A. However, patch panel 428 is provided in a different arrangement. In this embodiment, patch panel 428 includes a plurality of looped interconnects 416.

Looped interconnect 416 may either be a single-looped interconnect or a multi-looped interconnect. A single-looped interconnect typically connects (e.g., via a connectable node 410 a/b) a pair of elements together such as a master port/component to a slave port/component. On the other hand, a multi-looped interconnect is typically a cascade of single-looped interconnects. In one embodiment, the multi-looped interconnect includes multiple single-looped interconnects connected to a common master port. For example, as shown in FIG. 4B, master port 404 a is connected with a multi-looped interconnect to slave port 406 a, slave component 402 c, and slave component 402 e. In addition, master port 404 b is connected with a multi-looped interconnect to slave port 406 a and slave component 402 n.

FIG. 4C illustrates a selective scalable representation of data relating to interconnections in a digital design according to yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, patch panel 438 and patch panel 428 can share many of the same features. For instance, patch panel 438 provides information about relationships between the multiple components 432 via respective master ports 434 (e.g., 434 a, 434 b) and/or slave port 436 (e.g., 436 a). Connectable nodes 440 a/440 b are used to represent any relationship information (e.g., whether a master-slave connection is available; how many connections correspond to a particular component; etc.) between components/ports. An open connectable node 440 a denotes a possible connection between a pair of components/ports, whereas a closed connectable node 440 b denotes a closed connection between a pair of components/ports. In addition, scalable indicators 432 can be implemented with this specific embodiment.

Patch panel 438 is also represented in a looped interconnect arrangement. As shown, patch panel 438 includes a plurality of looped interconnects 436, such as the single-looped interconnect connecting master port 434 a to slave component 432 b and the single-looped interconnect connecting master port 434 b to slave port 436 a. On the other hand, a multi-looped interconnect is also shown as a cascade of single-looped interconnects. In one embodiment, the multi-looped interconnect includes multiple single-looped interconnects connected to a common slave port. For example, as shown in FIG. 4C, master component 432 e and master component 432 f are connected with a multi-looped interconnect to slave component 432 g. Loop interconnects 436 may assume any appearance to facilitate easy identification of the components' relationships. For example, again as shown in FIG. 4C, the thicknesses or colors of the loops may vary to identify connections.

In general, a single-looped interconnect resembles an open loop, such as a “U” shaped loop, with ends connected to different components/ports. On the other hand, a multi-looped interconnect generally resembles a cascade of open loops either chain-linked together (See FIG. 4B) or overlapping/superimposing each other (See FIG. 4C). The advantages of having looped interconnects include maximizing the area available for displaying the digital design. For example, connected master ports 404 a and 404 b shown on the columns in FIG. 4A may be removed since they can be easily represented on the rows as shown in FIG. 4B. In addition, looped interconnects may provide a cleaner and less cluttered representation. For example, many portions of the matrix of interconnects shown in FIG. 4A occupy area space that can be made available with the simpler representation of looped interconnects as shown in FIG. 4B. As such, looped interconnects can further facilitate an efficient representation of a digital design.

To further elaborate, as compared to conventional methods, looped interconnects enhance the possibilities of representing more of a digital design in a given area with more clarity and efficiency. In one embodiment, the selective presentation of FIG. 4C allows the segregation of the digital design representation into logical groups. In one example, as shown in FIG. 4C, single-looped interconnects are provided together as a group whereas multi-looped interconnects are provided together as another group. The ordering of the groups may further maximize the area available. For instance, single-looped interconnects may be provided before (e.g., above portion of the display) the multi-looped interconnects to allow more available area. In general, groups may be formed based on a common characteristic, such as a bus type. This is advantageous when heterogeneous bus types (e.g., Avalon, Avalon-Tristate, Atlantic—all available from Altera Corporation of San Jose, Calif.) are present in the digital design since they may be more easily identified and controlled (e.g., minimizing illegal connections between components on different buses) with the groupings.

Looped interconnects also allow horizontal compaction of the selective representation. For instance, as shown in FIG. 4C, the single-loop interconnect connecting components 1 and 2 can be shown with its vertical section aligned in the same column as the vertical section for the single-loop interconnect connecting components 3 and 4. That is, since it is not necessary to represent master port/component connections in individual columns as shown in FIG. 4A, loop interconnects can be compacted horizontally to maximize available area. According to various embodiments, possible connections may or may not be shown. If they are not shown, allocation of space or columns in the patch panel for possible connections can be omitted to maximize available area.

The arrangement (e.g., ordering of the components) of the digital design in the selective representation can be generated to consume the least amount of area (e.g., columns). According to various embodiments, the lower bound on the number of columns needed in the horizontal compaction is no fewer than the number of master components/ports that share the most shared slave component/port. For example, if a slave component is shared by two master components, 2 columns are used as shown in FIG. 4C.

In digital designs that include sparsely connected multi-master systems or many master-slave component pairs, either as individual pairs (e.g., (Master, Slave)) or chained pairs (e.g., (Slave, Master) to (Slave, Master) to (Slave, Master) . . . ), horizontal compaction of the selective representation with looped interconnects can free up more space than a matrix of interconnects, maximizing the amount of information that can be displayed in a given area. The matrix of interconnects increases in display columns exponentially with each master component/port displayed. On the other hand, looped interconnects will increase in display columns at a slower rate, especially if horizontal compaction is implemented according to the present invention. Moreover, horizontal compaction can further minimize illegal connections between components.

FIG. 4D illustrates a representation of data where interconnections relating to a digital design are provided in a selectable mode according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Patch panel 428 provides an interconnect matrix organized in columns 450 and rows 452. In contrast to the crossbar switch embodiment that was discussed earlier, the present embodiment aligns all the components/ports along patch panel 428 in individual rows 452. This frees up space at the top of patch panel 428, thereby increasing the amount of interconnection information that could be provided by patch panel 428. Similarly, interconnects 416 are aligned within patch panel 428 along columns 450 and rows 452. Generally, each column is allocated to a particular master component/port. For example, column 1 is allocated to master port 404 b whereas column 2 is allocated to master port 404 a. That is, slave components/ports that have interconnects that occupy the same column share a common master component/port.

It should be noted that FIG. 4D includes components 402 identical to those shown in FIG. 4B. However, in this embodiment, the user can control the appearance of patch panel 428 by having several selectable modes: “view”, “edit”, and “view collapsed”. In the “view” mode, only interconnects that lead to made connections between components/ports are shown. While in the “view” mode, interconnects 416 can be constructed with intersections 460 as illustrated in FIG. 4E. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that intersections 460 can be rotated depending on the arrangement between components/ports and patch panel 428. For instance, if the components/ports are aligned along the right side of patch panel 428, the mirror image of intersections 460 can instead be used.

In the “edit” mode, horizontal and vertical sections of interconnects 416 are generally shown (e.g., see FIG. 4B). While in the “edit” mode, interconnects 416 can be constructed with intersections 470 as illustrated in FIG. 4F. Again, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that intersections 470 can be rotated depending on the arrangement between components/ports and patch panel 428. For instance, if the components/ports are aligned along the right side of patch panel 428, the mirror image of intersections 470 can instead be used.

The “view collapsed” mode is similar to the “view” mode except it frees up columns in connection panel 428 by letting master components/ports share connections along the same column. That is, the “view collapsed” mode merges the allocation of columns within patch panel 428 such that single columns can be shared by multiple master component/port connections.

The different modes can run concurrently with each other or separately from each other. For example, when “view” and “edit” modes are ran concurrently with each other, a part of the patch panel may display connections according to the “view” mode and another part of the patch panel may display connections according to the “edit” mode. This can occur when selecting a different mode automatically with the placement of a user input device (e.g., mouse pointer) on patch panel 428. When “view” and “edit” modes are ran separately from each other, the entire patch panel will display connections according to either the “view” mode or “edit” mode. This may occur when selecting a different mode manually with an on-screen button.

As mentioned above, the different modes can be manually or automatically selected to switch from one mode to another mode. To further elaborate, the modes can be manually selected using a selection button. Alternatively, the modes can be automatically selected by examining the location of the mouse pointer on the patch panel. For instance, as shown in FIG. 4D, patch panel 428 shows multiple connections in view mode. That is, as compared to FIG. 4B, only made connections are shown. However, as a user moves his mouse pointer to location 454 a, edit mode is automatically selected for that location and the corresponding connectable node (i.e., closed node 410 b in FIG. 4B) appears at the location. The connectable node can be toggled to edit the connection. Similarly, edit mode can be automatically selected for locations 454 b, 454 c, 454 d, and 454 e as the mouse pointer is moved near them. As the mouse pointer is moved away from locations 454(a-e), the selectable mode at these locations can automatically revert to “view” mode. In the “edit” mode, connectable nodes 410 a and 410 b can be displayed with or without their corresponding interconnects 416. In any case, the connectable nodes 410 a and 410 b will be provided in a manner that will allow the user to clearly and easily identify their corresponding component associations.

Additional improvements can be made to represent/control component interconnects in a digital design. For example, components can be automatically organized to minimize the number of crossing interconnects between them and/or maximize the amount of interconnection information presented. In one embodiment, the components 402 and corresponding ports 404/406 can be sorted automatically to minimize the number of crossing interconnects, thereby making patch panel 428 more readable to a user. To indicate the direction of signal travel, arrowheads can be placed between connection panel 428 and components/ports. Further, a master component/port is marked with a right-facing arrow (or left-facing arrow if the component/port is aligned along the right side of patch panel 428), indicating that a signal emerges from the master component/port. Slave component/port is marked with a left-facing arrow (or right-facing arrow if the component/port is aligned along the right side of patch panel 428), indicating that a signal enters the slave component/port. According to a specific embodiment, the slave arrows are eliminated to reduce clutter in patch panel 428, but the master arrows remain.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a typical process flow 500 for providing a digital design according to various embodiments of the present invention. Process flow 500 typically starts with operation 502 of receiving multiple components for the digital design. Typically, this operation includes receiving the multiple components from a library as and/or receiving parameter information associated with the multiple components.

Multiple ports are associated with the multiple components. The multiple ports allow selective communication between the multiple components. Ports associated with the multiple components may include master ports and slave ports. In one embodiment, master ports associated with the multiple components are coupled to slave ports associated with the multiple components.

Next, forming multiple connections between the multiple components is performed in operation 504. The multiple connections include made connections and possible connections. This operation may include determining desired interconnections between master ports and slave ports. Determination may be based on a variety of factors, such as the system architecture or relationship between the components. The desired interconnection may further be predetermined or user configurable (e.g., manually entered by the user).

Next, the operation of displaying the multiple connections in a selectable mode within a patch panel is performed in operation 506. The selectable mode can change between different modes to affect the amount of interconnection information being displayed. In one embodiment, the patch panel shows connectable nodes and connected nodes associated with a simultaneous multiple primary component fabric. Generally, the simultaneous multiple primary component fabric allows multiple master components/ports to communicate with multiple slave components/ports simultaneously. For example, a simultaneous multiple primary component fabric integrated system is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/227,504, filed Aug. 23, 2002, the contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference. Finally, process flow 500 ends at operation 508.

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic representation showing a digital system 600 on a programmable chip having a processor core, peripheral devices, and peripheral interfaces. Peripheral devices and peripheral interfaces are herein referred to as components. The system on a programmable chip includes processor core 602 and a peripheral interface 604 as well as peripheral components UART 608, PIO 610, timer 612, and data memory 614. In some examples, the peripheral interface 604 is a memory controller with an associated bus bridge. It should be noted that the system can include both on-chip and off-chip memory.

System bus 606 provides interconnectivity amongst the components in digital system 600. In one embodiment, system bus 606 includes a conventional bus architecture. In another embodiment, system bus 606 includes a simultaneous multiple primary component fabric, such as the Avalon™ Switch Fabric available from Altera Corporation, San Jose, Calif.

The programmable chip uses different types of resources that can be interchangeably used in different allocations to implement the system on a programmable chip. In one example, the programmable chip uses logic elements for implementing each of the various components on the programmable chip.

Logic elements typically can be implemented using components such as antifuses, static RAM, and EPROMS. Any mechanism on a programmable chip that performs an operation on a given number of input lines to provide one or more outputs based on information programmed is herein referred to as a logic element. Some logic elements are implemented as combinations of look up tables and switches for performing Boolean operations on input lines. In one example, a logic element includes a 16-bit SRAM lookup table (LUT) that can implement an arbitrary 4-input logic function, circuitry that forms a fast carry chain and fast cascade chain, register and preset/reset logic for the register.

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic representation showing implementation of an electronic device (e.g., programmable chip) using a programmable chip tool. An input stage 701 receives selection information typically from a user for logic such as a processor core as well as other components such as a streaming output device to be implemented on an electronic device. A generator program 705 creates a logic description and provides the logic description along with other customized logic to any of a variety of synthesis tools, place and route programs, and logic configuration tools to allow a logic description to be implemented on an electronic device.

In one example, an input stage 701 often allows selection and parameterization of components to be used on an electronic device. In some examples, components provided to an input stage include intellectual property functions, megafunctions, and intellectual property cores. The components may be stored and retrieved from a library or database. The input stage 701 may be a graphical user interface using wizards for allowing efficient or convenient entry of information. The input stage may also be a text interface or a program reading a data file such as a spreadsheet, database table, or schematic to acquire selection information. The input stage 701 produces an output containing information about the various components selected.

In typical implementations, the generator program 705 can identify the selections and generate a logic description with information for implementing the various components. The generator program 705 can be a Perl script creating HDL files such as Verilog, Abel, VHDL, and AHDL files from the module information entered by a user. According to various embodiments, the generator program 705 also provides information to a synthesis tool 707 to allow HDL files to be automatically synthesized. In some examples, a logic description is provided directly by a designer. Some of the available synthesis tools are Leonardo Spectrum, available from Mentor Graphics Corporation of Wilsonville, Oreg. and Synplify available from Synplicity Corporation of Sunnyvale, Calif. The HDL files may contain technology specific code readable only by a synthesis tool. The HDL files at this point may also be passed to a simulation tool.

As will be appreciated by one of skill in the art, the input stage 701, generator program 705, and synthesis tool 707 can be separate programs. The interface between the separate programs can be a database file, a log, or simply messages transmitted between the programs. For example, instead of writing a file to storage, the input stage 701 can send messages directly to the generator program 705 to allow the generator program to create a logic description. Similarly, the generator program can provide information directly to the synthesis tool instead of writing HDL files. Similarly, input stage 701, generator program 705, and synthesis tool 707 can be integrated into a single program.

For example, SOPC Builder tool available from Altera Corporation, San Jose, Calif. integrates different stages of the electronic device implementation into a single program while implementing various techniques and mechanisms of the present invention. In particular, SOPC Builder tool provides system-level design flows for SOPC architectures. SOPC Builder tool may automatically generate interconnect logic (e.g., Avalon™ switch fabric) connecting components used in SOPC applications. The components include embedded processors that may either be internal or external to the FPGA and peripherals.

A user may select various components and an integrated program can then take the user selections and output a logic description in the form of a synthesized netlist without intermediate files. Any mechanism for depicting the logic to be implemented on an electronic device is referred to herein as a logic description. According to various embodiments, a logic description is an HDL file such as a VHDL, Abel, AHDL, or Verilog file. A logic description may be in various stages of processing between the user selection of components and parameters to the final configuration of the device. According to other embodiments, a logic description is a synthesized netlist such as an Electronic Design Interchange Format Input File (EDF file). An EDF file is one example of a synthesized netlist file that can be output by the synthesis tool 707.

A verification stage 713 typically follows the synthesis stage 707. The verification stage checks the accuracy of the design to ensure that an intermediate or final design realizes the expected requirements. A verification stage typically includes simulation tools and timing analysis tools. Tools for simulation allow the application of inputs and the observation of outputs without having to implement a physical device. Simulation tools provide designers with cost effective and efficient mechanisms for both functional and timing verification of a design. Functional verification involves the circuit's logical operation independent of timing considerations. Parameters such as gate delays are disregarded.

Timing verification involves the analysis of the design's operation with timing delays. Setup, hold, and other timing requirements for sequential devices such as flip-flops are confirmed. Some available simulation tools include Synopsys VCS, VSS, and Scirocco, available from Synopsys Corporation of Sunnyvale, Calif. and Cadence NC-Verilog and NC-VHDL available from Cadence Design Systems of San Jose, Calif. After the verification stage 713, the synthesized netlist file can be provided to physical design tools 719 including place and route and configuration tools. A place and route tool typically locates logic cells on specific logic elements of a target hardware device and connects wires between the inputs and outputs of the various logic elements in accordance with logic required to implement an electronic design. The device can also be physically tested at 723.

For programmable logic devices, a programmable logic configuration stage can take the output of the place and route tool to program the logic device with the user selected and parameterized components. According to various embodiments, the place and route tool and the logic configuration stage are provided in the Quartus Development Tool, available from Altera Corporation of San Jose, Calif.

As noted above, different stages and programs can be integrated in a variety of manners. According to one embodiment, the input stage 701, the generator program 705, the synthesis tool 707, the verification tools 713, and physical design tools 719 are integrated into a single program. The various stages are automatically run and transparent to a user. The program can receive the user-selected components, generate a logic description depicting logic for implementing the various selected components, and implement the electronic device. As will be appreciated by one of skill in the art, HDL files and EDF files are mere examples of a logic description. Other file formats as well as internal program representations are other examples of a logic description.

FIG. 8 illustrates a computer system suitable for implementing various embodiments of the present invention. The computer system 800 includes any number of processors 802 (also referred to as central processing units, or CPUs) that are coupled to devices including memory 806 (typically a random access memory, or “RAM”), memory 804 (typically a read only memory, or “ROM”). The processors 802 can be configured to provide a graphics user interface with effective visual representations according to various embodiments of the present invention. Some representations may be specifically designed to display selective interrelated data, such as the master and/or slave connections of components, from programmable chip systems implementing any of a variety of different system architectures. In one example, programmable chip systems having multiple master and slave components are interconnected with conventional bus architectures. As is well known in the art, memory 804 acts to transfer data and instructions uni-directionally to the CPU and memory 806 is used typically to transfer data and instructions in a bi-directional manner.

Both of these memory devices may include any suitable type of the computer-readable media described above. A mass storage device 808 is also coupled bi-directionally to CPU 802 and provides additional data storage capacity and may include any of the computer-readable media described above. The mass storage device 808 may be used to store programs, data and the like and is typically a secondary storage medium such as a hard disk that is slower than memory. The mass storage device 808 can be used to hold a library or database of prepackaged logic or intellectual property functions, as well as information on generating particular configurations. It will be appreciated that the information retained within the mass storage device 808, may, in appropriate cases, be incorporated in standard fashion as part of memory 806 as virtual memory. A specific mass storage device such as a CD-ROM 814 may also pass data uni-directionally to the CPU.

CPU 802 is also coupled to an interface 810 that includes one or more input/output devices such as such as video monitors, track balls, mice, keyboards, microphones, touch-sensitive displays, transducer card readers, magnetic or paper tape readers, tablets, styluses, voice or handwriting recognizers, or other well-known input devices such as, of course, other computers. Video monitors can be used to display wizards and subwizards to a user. Finally, CPU 802 optionally may be coupled to a computer or telecommunications network using a network connection as shown generally at 812. With such a network connection, it is contemplated that the CPU might receive information from the network, or might output information to the network in the course of performing the above-described method steps. It should be noted that the system 800 may also be associated with devices for transferring completed designs onto a programmable chip. The above-described devices and materials will be familiar to those of skill in the computer hardware and software arts.

The hardware elements described above may be configured to act as multiple software modules for performing the operations of this invention. For example, instructions for running a tool, generator program, input stage (e.g., a wizard), and/or compiler may be stored on mass storage device 808 or 814 and executed on CPU 802 in conjunction with primary memory 806.

Although many of the components and processes are described above in the singular for convenience, it will be appreciated by one of skill in the art that multiple components and repeated processes can also be used to practice the techniques of the present invention.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that changes in the form and details of the disclosed embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. For example, although the present invention has been discussed primarily in the context of visually representing connections between masters and slaves in a multi-master system, the present invention is suitable for other data applications and may be tailored correspondingly. That is, the present invention may be adapted for analysis of other design data, such as the connections between different modules, and the like. Therefore, the scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the appended claims. 

1. A method for providing a digital circuit design, comprising: receiving a plurality of components including a plurality of master components and a slave component for the digital circuit design, wherein the slave component is configured to respond to the master components, wherein the master components include a first master component and a second master component; generating a connection panel including a plurality of lines between the plurality of components, the plurality of lines including open connectible nodes and closed connectible nodes, wherein the open connectible nodes correspond to open connections between the components and the closed connectible nodes correspond to closed connections between the components; allocating a first column to the first master component; allocating a second column to the second master component; displaying, via a processor, the connection panel, wherein different modes associated with the connection panel can be selected to adjust the amount of displayed interconnection information related to the open connectible nodes and the closed connectible nodes, wherein the different modes include a view collapsed mode, wherein said displaying the connection panel includes sharing, in the view collapsed mode, the first or second column by the respective first or second master component by merging the allocations of the first and second columns; displaying, via the processor, the first and second master components only on one side of the connection panel.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the different modes include a view mode that prevents user changes from being made to at least one of the plurality of connections.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the different modes include an edit mode that allows a user to make changes to at least one of the plurality of connections.
 4. The method of claim 3, further comprising: displaying the plurality of components along a side of the connection panel, wherein the plurality of components corresponds to the rows of the connection panel.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the plurality of components include master ports and slave ports that correspond to the rows of the connection panel, and wherein displaying the plurality of lines comprises: allocating the first and second columns to the connections of master ports; and displaying interconnects between the master ports and slave ports.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the view collapsed mode prevents user changes from being made to at least one of the plurality of lines and that merges the allocation of the first and second columns such that the first or second column can be shared by connections of multiple master ports.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the different modes can automatically be selected upon detecting particular locations of a user input device on the connection panel.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the particular locations correspond to the intersections where the plurality of connections are displayed.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of lines form a portion of an interconnect, wherein said displaying the first and second master components comprises displaying, via the processor, the first master component with an arrowhead only on one side of the connection panel, wherein said displaying the first master component with the arrowhead is performed by marking the first master component with the arrowhead that emerges from the master component and that is connected to the interconnect.
 10. A computer readable medium having computer code stored therein and executed by a computer, the computer readable medium comprising: means for receiving, by using the computer, a plurality of components including a plurality of master components and a slave component for the a digital circuit design, wherein the slave component is configured to respond to the master components, wherein the master components include a first master component and a second master component; means for generating a connection panel including a plurality of lines between the plurality of components, the plurality of lines including open connectible nodes and closed connectible nodes, wherein the open connectible nodes correspond to open connections between the components and the closed connectible nodes correspond to closed connections between the components; means for displaying the connection panel, wherein different modes associated with the connection panel can be selected to adjust the amount of displayed interconnection information related to the open connectible nodes and the closed connectible nodes, wherein the different modes includes a view collapsed mode, wherein the means for displaying the connection panel shares, during the view collapsed mode, a first column allocated to the first master component or a second column allocated to the second master component by merging the allocations of the first and second columns, wherein the means for displaying displays the master component only on one side of the connection panel.
 11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the different modes include a view mode that prevents user changes from being made to at least one of the plurality of connections.
 12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the different modes include an edit mode that allows a user to make changes to at least one of the plurality of connections.
 13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the means for displaying displays the plurality of components along a side of the connection panel, wherein the plurality of components corresponds to the rows of the connection panel.
 14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the plurality of components include a plurality of master ports and a plurality of slave ports that correspond to the rows of the connection panel, and wherein displaying the plurality of lines comprises: allocating the first and second columns to the connections of the master ports; and displaying a plurality of interconnects between the master ports and slave ports.
 15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the view collapsed mode prevents user changes from being made to at least one of the plurality of lines and that merges the allocation of the first and second columns such that the first or second column can be shared by the connections of multiple master ports.
 16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the different modes can automatically be selected upon detecting particular locations of a user input device on the connection panel.
 17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the particular locations correspond to the intersections where the plurality of connections are displayed.
 18. A design tool for providing a digital circuit design, comprising: an interface configured to receive a plurality of components including a plurality of master components and a slave component for the digital circuit design, wherein the slave component is configured to respond to the master components, wherein the master components include a first master component and a second master component; a processor coupled to the interface, the processor configured to generate a connection panel including a plurality of lines between the plurality of components, the plurality of lines including open connectible nodes and closed connectible nodes, wherein the open connectible nodes correspond to open connections between the components and the closed connectible nodes correspond to closed connections between the components; and a display configured to present the plurality of connections within the connection panel to adjust the amount of displayed interconnection information related to the open connectible nodes and the closed connectible nodes, wherein the display is configured to adjust the amount of displayed interconnection information based on a plurality of modes including a view collapsed mode, wherein the display is configured to share, during the view collapsed mode, a first column allocated to the first master component or a second column allocated to the second master component by merging the allocations of the first and second columns, wherein the display is configured to display the first and second master components only on one side of the connection panel.
 19. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining whether a first one of the components is scaled; selectively removing, from a view, a port of the first component and a portion of connectivity of the port with a second one of the components upon determining that the first component is scaled.
 20. A method for providing a digital circuit design, comprising: receiving a plurality of components including a plurality of master components and a slave component for the digital circuit design, wherein the slave component is configured to respond to the the master components, wherein the master components include a first master component and a second master component; generating a connection panel including a plurality of lines between the plurality of components, the plurality of lines including open connectible nodes and closed connectible nodes, wherein the open connectible nodes correspond to open connections between the components and the closed connectible nodes correspond to closed connections between the components; allocating a first column to the first master component; allocating a second column to the second master component; displaying, via a processor, the connection panel, wherein different modes associated with the connection panel are selected to adjust the amount of displayed interconnection information related to the open connectible nodes and the closed connectible nodes, wherein the different modes include a view collapsed mode, wherein said displaying the connection panel includes sharing, in the view collapsed mode, the first or second column by the respective first or second master component by merging the allocations of the first and second columns; removing, via the processor, one of the master components on a column of the connection panel; displaying, via the processor, one of the master components on a row of the connection panel upon said removing one of the master component. 